Improvement in building-blocks



F. SGHAFFER.

BUILDING-Moms.

No.180,794. Patented Aug. 8,1876.

,WJTNESSES. INVENTM? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SOHAFFER., OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180,794. dated August8, 1876 application filed July 19, 1816.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, FRANK SGHAFFER, of

` Buialo, in the county of Erie and State ot' My invention furtherconsists in the arrange ment of parts and details of construction, aswill rst be fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to render a wall erected of artificialstones impervious to water, and to protect the same against theiniiuences of weather, whereby it is preserved for a longer space oftime than other artificial stones not protected by my improved casing.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I shall proceed to describe itsconstruction, and thereby refer to the hereinbefore-mentioned drawings,in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a buildingstone of myimproved construction. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

A is 'an artificial building-stone. It is composed of the usual materialof which such stones are produced, anddoes therefore not diti'er fromothers in this respect. B is a metallic casing, composed of the face B',having a rim or ledge, B, and the skeleton-frame C. The face B' iseither a plane surface or ornamented in relief or otherwise, such as isusually found on building and edge stones. The skeleton C consists ofbars of L-shaped or angle iron, covering all the edges of the stone, andit is provided with lugs D, having recesses E.

The casing may be produced either entire of cast-iron in the process ofcasting, or put together of pieces o f other suitable material, theformer process being preferable on account of cheapness, and because itadmits of an easier method of ornamenting the stone face.

The casing is inserted into a properly-constructed mold, and thematerial of which the stone is to be made poured into said mold,

wherein it is allowed to set, and thereby to unite with the casing insuch manner that a separation is impossible without breaking either thestone or the casing. Before the substance in the mold has set, I place awooden block, F, made slightly tapering, with its larger part into saidsubstance, so as to be flush therewith. This wooden block may beimpregnated with any substance or material tending to its preservation,and it' so prepared will be fully as durable as the artificial stoneitself. The purpose of this block F is to enable the attachment of thelathing to be made without necessitating drilling into the blocks, whichis a very laborious process.

In order to retain the artificial stone within its casing I provide thiscasing with the L- shaped bars C, which embrace the said stone from allsides, and thereby securely attach the same to said casing.

Instead of the skeleton, I may provide the rim or ledge B with aninwardly-projecting ledge, B", and dispense with said skeleton. In thiscase I would provide the artificial stone itself with the recesses E;or, instead of said skeleton, I may incase the artificial stone with anentire metallic casing of suitable material, leaving that part only ofthe stone exposed which forms the interior walls of a building. In thiscase I may form perforations in the casing to be lilled by the materialwhen poured into said casing to unite the parts.

The casing may be made of sheet metal, and the desired ornamentsproduced by the wellknown process of drop-stamping, and the severalparts entering into the construction of the casing united by solderingor similar manipulation. Y

In constructing the casing it is desirable that there should be formed anarrow projecting edge on all the edges of the skeleton O, so as toleave the faces of the stone somewhat depressed. This will enable thecement used to unite the stones to be properly spread, and at the sametime forms a solid joint all around the blocks. This cement will enterthe recesses E, and thereby form, when hard, pivots, which eli'ectuallyprevent the stones from being moved, and combine the whole wall to onesolid mass of material.

Artificial stones of the description heretofore related may veryadvantageously be used as edge-stones in brick buildings, which, whenornamented, painted, and sanded, to imitate the color and appearance ofnatural stones, cannot be distinguished from such. For such stones twoadjacent sides of the casing are faced with an entire facing, B.

In a building constructed of artificial stones, as described, the frontand sides will be virtually of iron, and while possessing all theadvantages of such a structure, it is by far cheaper than either an ironbuilding or one constructed entirely of sand or other stone. The casing,furthermore, protects the artificial stone against the influences ofweather, and will, therefore, be preserved for any length of time.

Having thus fully described my invention, I desire to secure to me byLetters Patent of the United Statesl. As a new article of manufacture,metal casngs for artificial stones, composed of the facing B, and therim or ledge B, and the skeleton C, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an artitcial stone, of a metallic face, B,secured to said stone by the ledge B" and the projecting edge B,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an artificial stone, A, of a woodenfilling-block, F, as described, for the use and purpose stated.

4. The combination, with the metallic casing of an artificial stone, ofthe lugs D and the recesses E, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK SOHA'FFER. Attest:

MICHAEL J. STARK, FRANK HInscH.

